Automobile-jack.



C. R. SPALDING.

AUTOMOBILE JACK-.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJ. 1914.

Mummy,

CHARLES R. SPALDING, OF SAFFORD, ARIZONA.

AUTOM OBILE-JACK.

Specification of. Iletters Patent.

Patented Apr. 27,1915.

Application filed August 7, 1914. Serial No. 855,668.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES R. SPALDING, a citizen of the United States,residing at Saflord, in the county of Graham and State of Arizona, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile-Jacks; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in thert to which it appertains to make and 115,7 the same.

My nVentiOn relates to new and useful improvements in lifting jacks andresides in the provision of a plurality of jacks that are to bepermanently secured to the axles of an automobile or similar vehicleandwhich may be readily operated to lift or elevate the automobile fromthe ground.

Another object is to provide a plurality of jacks arranged as abovedescribed and which may be easily moved into out of the way positionwhen not in use and will not interfere with the operation oftheautomobile or present an unsightly appearance.

Another important object is to provide 'a plurality of jacks arranged asdescribed that will serve to permit an expeditious lifting of theautomobile in an easy manner and which may be operated through themedium of compressed air which may be obtained "from the engine of theautomobile at a low cost.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means asareillustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the followingspecification and then more particularly po nted out as claimed.

' With reference to the drawings, wherein Ihave illustrated thepreferred embodiment of my invention as it is reduced to practice, and'throu bout the several views of which similar re erence numeralsdesignate eorresponding parts, Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevationof an automobileaxle showing my improved jacks pivotally securedthereto, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of my improved jacks beingbroken away, Fig.

3 is a top plan view, and Fig. 4 is a frag mentary plan view of \thefair distributing pipe for operating the jacks.

Referring to the drawings of reference, the numeral 1 designates as anentirety the front axle of an automobile. Pivoted adjacent to each endof thef-axlefis a lifting jack designated 2 as an entirety.-

by characters l The rear axle of an automobile, not shown is to beequipped in the same manner with the lifting jacks.

Each of the lifting jacks consists of an operating cylinder 3 that isprovided with an air inlet cock 4 adjacent to its lower end and ismounted upon a suitable base plate 5 that is preferably rectangular.within-the operating chamber 3 is the piston 6 that has a piston rod 7which is slidable within the cylinder 3 and is preferably swiveled as at8 to the intermediate portion of a U-shaped bracket 9. The U-shapedbracket 9 is provided at its free ends with lateral. inwardly extendingtubular portions 10 in which are adjustably mounted pivot screws 11 thatare headed and designed to be moved into pivotal relation with the axlewith openings in depending attaching \plates 12 carried by the axle 1adjacent to each end.

take 4 with an outlet valve 13 by means Slidable of which the jackmay belowered as the air is let out of the cylinder.

In the opposed edges of the plates 5 of the jacks I provideapproximately semi-circular cut out portions 14 that are of suflicientsize to receive a portion of the axle. Slidably mounted in oppositesides of the cut out portion 14 are latch bolts 15 that are normallyheld in position by meansof spiral expansion springs 16 and are providedwith heads 17 at their outer ends. The inner ends of the bolts arebeveled 0r inclined as. at 18 upwardly so that they may be forced pastthe lower part of the axlewhen the jack is pushed into up position.()Penings 19 are formed in the plate 5 onv opposite sides of the outvout portion l4 thereofto receive the springs 16. A longitudinal-slot 20is formed in the axle adjacentto each" side of the center and designedto receive the beveled ends 18 of the latch bolts 15,'fand isprovidedat-its outer end with-a downwardly and inwardly inclined dropslot 20' tokeep the jack from sliding back and forth. When the jacks 2 are movedupwardly and the lower portion of the axle is received within the cutout portion 14 of each jack,

the. latch bolts 15 move past the lower part.

of the axle and-find their'i'way into slots 20. The action of thesprings forces the latch bolts into the slots and prevents falling" ofthe jack. It will thus 75 The cylinder 3 is provided adjacent to itslower. end on the side opposite to the inbe seen that the 9 jacks aresupported in approximately horizontal position and inspaced relation tothe ground.

Mounted in some suitable place upon the automobile is a main feed pipe21 that is provided with a T-head 22 1n each side of which is a valve23. This pipe 21 is suitably connected with a source of compressed airsupply that is to be carried upon the automobile not shown and throughthe medium of thepipe 22 provides means for connectmg the cylinders ofthe jacks on opposite of the ground. It will be readily seen that withmy improved elevating means for automobiles, tires may be saved as whenthe automobile is not in use it ma be easily jacked up and t us theweight 0 the car taken off of the tires. By gradually allowing the airto escape through the valve 13 the automobile may be lowered.

While I have shown only the fro'nt axle of an automobile provided withjacks it is to be understood that the rear axle is to be similarlyequipped with jacks so that the lifting of the automobile-may be easilyeffected.- After using the jacks it is only neeessary to force them uwardly and inwardly and they will automatlcally lock in horizontal upposition.

In practice, I have found that the form piston is forced V upwardlyandwill lift the automobile of! of my invention, illustrated in thedrawings and referredto in the above description as the preferredembodiment, the most efficient and practical; yet rea izing that theconditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarilyvary, I desire to I emphasize jiihe fact that various minor changes indetails of.construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may beresorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages ofmy invention, as

set forth.

- What is claimed is 1. The 'combin ion with an automobile axle of jackspivotally secured at their upper ends to said axle adJacent to the endthereof, base plates on said jacks, said axle having longitudinal slotstherein on either side of the center thereof, said base plates being cutaway adjacent certain edges to receive a portion of the axle, and springpressed latch ,bolts mounted in opposite sides of the axle and arrangedto extend into the slots to hold rthe jacks in out of the way position.

2. An automobile jack consisting of a baseplate, lifting means mountedon the base plate, latch bolts mounted in one side of the base,andsprings normally holding said latch bolts in extended position.

3. An automobile jack consisting of a base plate having a recess cut inone face thereof,

lifting means carried by the base plate to be pivotally connected withthe axle of an automobile and means carried on opposite sides of therecess in said ase plate to automatically lockthe base t the axle uponmovement of the baseinto engagement therewith.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence .Qf two witnesses.

CHAS. R. SPA

Witnesses:

. PAUL BROWN G'Eo. T. DOWNEN.

DING.

